kat in the delta

kat in the delta · 04-30-2006, 12:53 AM

How long does your ONC. SAY YOU WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE HERCEPTIN AS AN ADJUVANT AFTER BASIC CHEMO.MEDS??? (1st time HER2's PEOPLE, WITH NO MET. known???)
How often has your blood test included looking for tumor markers such as CA-125, CA-15-3, and 27-79, and/or CEA?

karenann · 04-30-2006, 10:11 AM

I take no pre-meds now, just the Herceptin once every three weeks and it takes 90 minutes.

Karen

kat in the delta · 05-01-2006, 07:45 AM

Are you taking the adjuvant "Herceptin alone for 1 yr., or 2 yrs."?? Everyone/ or anyone can give me some input of what their Oncs. are doing, after finishing the basic treatments.
Also, how often are you tested by bloodwork which includes the tumor markers : CA-125, CA-15-3 abd 27-29, and CEA ???

Cathya · 05-01-2006, 09:47 AM

Kat;

I was told I would be on herceptin indefinitely. Unfortunately I am off temporarily due to a low muga score but expect to go back on asap. I am stage 3c.

Cathy

Mgarr · 05-01-2006, 11:52 AM

Hi Kat. Getting close to my year on Herceptin and just had 2 oncology opinions that recommend ONLY the one year for early stagers.

Mary

Sherryg683 · 05-01-2006, 02:27 PM

I'm on Hercepton indefinately also ( I take that to mean a long long time), since I am stage IV. I had 2 small lung mets...sherryg683

sassy · 05-01-2006, 03:30 PM

Kat,

I will soon finish my one year of herceptin and will be talking with my onc about second year. A lot may depend on the two year results of the HERA trial. Currently no tumor markers are done, as my onc feels that they are somewhat unreliable and looks more at symptpoms, etc to determine further scans, tests, ect. He does blood work for bisphonsphonates(sp?), liver enzymes and I have had a cat scan that came back all clear.

Sassy
________
WASHINGTON DISPENSARIES

LOPSIDED · 05-01-2006, 06:47 PM

HI KAT, I DID 4 A/C & 12 TAXOTERE, 35 RADS AND MY DOCTOR HAS ME STARTING HERCEPTIN FOR 1 YEAR WKLY. HE HASN'T TALKED TO ME ABOUT TUMOR MARKERS. I HAD A 2.1 CM TUMOR IN RIGHT BREAST WITH 8 POSITIVE LYMPH NODES OUT OF 10. HOPEFULLY I WILL HAVE NO COMPLICATIONS WITH HERCEPTIN.

R.B. · 05-02-2006, 02:22 AM

Kat,

It is not a topic I have read much about.

Thoughts that occur to me;

Check out the Sweedish trial where it was shown ten weeks was as effective.

I have a vague recollection of reading the the short course has been approved in South Africa ( you need to check that)

The links to the HERA trial are on this site.

NCBI is a good resource for trials use the search engine.

I suppose you may want to try and find out what you can about resistance - is it better to keep Herceptin in the armory - does herceptin resistance diminish if you come off it for a while - should you save it for later in case if you a clear now.

The problem as I am sure you are aware is that this group of patients is in effect the wider trial.

From your bold type I would guess you have some decisions to make and it understandably is worrying you.

Sorry I cannot be of more help, maybe Lani who is hugely knowledgeable and resourceful can help.

RB

Kimberly Lewis · 05-02-2006, 02:31 AM

I have been told one year only w/o mets... stage 3a 7nodes. I have yet to have a tumor marker or any follow up scans. Completed 4xof dose dense AC. 1xof taxol, 30x rads. Lmast. w/ax. nodes removed. Rbreast proph. mast. In line for ooph, hyst.....

I am struggling with having to demand scans and tumor markers. It seems like you have to fight for treatment all the time.

kat in the delta · 05-06-2006, 02:14 PM

CathyA
What does MUGA stand for?? What is the HERA trial, anyway?? does anyone know?? kat in the delta kat

kat in the delta · 05-06-2006, 02:16 PM

Sassy,
What is the HERA trial?? I may be doing it and not even know.---------------kat

Cathya · 05-06-2006, 02:25 PM

Kat;

MUGA score is the Gated Cardiac Scan....why the name....I really don't know. I get two shots when I do the test....one to prepare my red blood cells to accept the radioactive dye which is injected 30 minutes later. This dye attaches itself to the red blood cells so that they can visualise the blood in my heart. After the second shot you lie down on a table and electrodes are attached to your chest. A gamma cameral is placed close to your chest and images are produced of the heart to determine how well it is functioning. Hope this helps.

Cathy

R.B. · 05-06-2006, 04:51 PM

The HERA trial was a trial for heceptin for early stage patients.

If you type "Hera trail Results" into the search engine avove right - click on search and type in the term you are looking for just in cae you are unfamiliar with it, you will find a post by Joe towards the bottom of the page with a copy of the trial.

If it is not there it has been posted two or three times.

Re muga "multiple gated acquisition scan" (I did not know what it stood for either) a search on google came up with this site that looks helpful

http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/oth...s/l/blmuga.htm

I hope this helps

RB

R.B. · 05-06-2006, 04:54 PM

The link may not work as I typed it in.

Put MUGA scan into google and you should find it.

RB

suzan w · 05-06-2006, 05:21 PM

My onc. says one year (every 3 weeks) of herceptin. I am 1/2 way through. Had invasive lobular, bilateral mastectomy, 7mm tumor, node neg, ER+,PR+,Her2+. Did 4 rounds of A/C. On arimidex for 5 years.

michele u · 05-06-2006, 06:23 PM

Cathya,

why did your onc put you on Herceptin indefinately being stage 3? I'm stage 3 and have fighting my onc for more Herceptin but he won't give it to me. I have another email into him asking me for Herceptin every 3 months til Tykerb (Lapatinib) comes out. I just feel like a sitting duck----and duck season could come at any time

Cathya · 05-06-2006, 07:09 PM

Michele;

When my onc found the second tumor in my clavicular node he became very aggressive with my treatment. His assistant (another doctor) was the one who told me I would be on herceptin indefinitely. My onc restaged me following treatment and is continuing to do tests....a brain ct with contrast this week, bone density again as I think he wants to put me on something for the bones, he's agreed to tumor markers, etc. He did say that no one really knows how long to keep anyone on herceptin.

Cathy

sassy · 05-06-2006, 07:30 PM

Kat,

You may be following the treatment protocol of one arm of the HERA trial which many of us are now, but not a trial participant. Another study in the US which was very similar yielded practically the same results of early stage her2+ BC treatment with herceptin/chemo combo. As RB suggested, it would be good to look at the trial results.

It is my understanding that the HERA trial has continued their study with two years of herceptin treatment and those results should be available either in May or June.

Perhaps someone like Lani or Joe can explain this better than I.

Sassy
________
Glass Weed Pipe

Sue2001 · 05-06-2006, 07:48 PM

Hi Kat,

I was in a clinical trial in 2001-2002 and I received Herceptin for 1 year. Tumor markers were checked every 3 months. I was talking with my oncologist the other day and he said that he is still giving the appropriate patients one year of Herceptin. However, if the new trials show that 2 years of Herceptin is better then he will continue their Herceptin for 2 years. He will also contact patients who are 1-2 years out and offer them the additional year of Herceptin. Since I am 5 years out, I will not have the 2nd year.

Sue